Kid Arcades Are Now The Exploitation Zone

Oh, look, an arcade next to the pool. Would you like to throw away some money?

What comes to mind when you think of the word “arcade?”

Rows of video screens, scattered loud noises as the machines enter into gameplay loops meant to attract people to spend their money. Look, times change. I’m not trying to be a huffy old man. But increasingly, what “arcade” means is what you see in the photo above. It’s rows of games, technically speaking, but the games have nothing to do with skill or a shared experience, but are machines designed for exploitation.